The present invention is particularly well-adapted to tanks used for damping the fluctuations of the composition of a multiphase flow, said tanks including a fluid or preferably liquid phase and one solid phase in the form of particles. The invention makes it possible to improve the suspension of solid particles in the fluid and preferably liquid phase.
The improvement of the invention may be advantageously applied to the patent EN 89/01.332 which describes a device for regulating and damping the fluctuations of the composition of a multiphase flow comprising at least one liquid phase and one gas phase.
This device comprises a phase separation tank, the tank comprises at least one opening for intake of the multiphase mixture, and means for drawing-off the contents of this tank.
Said drawing-off means extend inside the tank so as to pass through the gas-liquid interface during normal operation conditions and comprise drawing-off openings distributed on each side of the interface in normal operation, the sum of the flow sections of the openings being estimated from a reference position over at least a portion of a vertical axis varies as a function of the side considered on said axis and for said portion, said portion extending in normal operation on each side of said interface.
The drawing-off means may comprise at least one drawing-off tube and the drawing-off openings may be distributed over this tube.
The drawing-off tube may comprise at least one common outlet for the liquid phase and the gaseous phase.
The drawing-off tube may comprise at least two distinct outlets, one of said which draws off a liquid rich phase.
The drawing-off tube may comprise at least two separate outlets, one of which draws off a gas rich phase.
As has already been mentioned, the present invention makes it possible to improve the method and device described more particularly in the patent EN 89/01.332 so as to further improve the homogenizing of phases and to place and keep in suspension the particles in the effluent.
According to the prior Art, one of the major drawbacks concerning the functioning of the regulating tank and regulating reservoir is the formation of solid deposits due to the accumulation of particles at the bottom of the recipient, these deposits risking clogging the outlet orifices of the recipient and of modifying its volume.
It is then essential to carry out drainings which require that the device be halted and which are adapted to difficult operating conditions, such as those encountered at the water bottom in cases of sub-marine applications relating to the treatment of petroleum effluent, for example.